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Research

For this project, I researched A lot about chess and its rules:

 

Exercise/Activity:

I did a test about how to assemble the paper to be:

 

I did also a test with a basic shape of a rook chess piece with a chipboard:

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Iterations

I started by stating some of the first ideas that I got:

 

I drew a lot of sketches with different ideas:

 

 

 

Then we got to the idea of making the back with a bad and a good side that would represent the chess pieces:

 

 

Did the different parts of the rook and the King pieces to see if it will work, using paper and hand cutting/testing:

 

 

I laser cut a paper version of my first set and it had mistakes with measurement:

After the measurement mistakes, I realized I had to do what I am best with and that I hand-cut and measure by myself.

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Concept/Narrative Statement

Once upon a time, there were two kingdoms ruled by two brothers. On the surface, the brothers looked merely identical. They moved, talked, and even acted to the public like mirrors. However, under the surface, the brothers could not have been more different. Where one was a man of high integrity and honor, the other was one of deceit and destruction. The first brother, with his kindness and wisdom, brought great success to his kingdom. But, no matter how hard the second brother tried to hide his true self, his wickedness eventually led to the demise of his own. Now the brothers, still identical on the outside, are stuck with their fates because looks are fleeting, but the character is forever.

For this project my partner and I choose the concept of the chess pieces to reflect the beauty and the ugly hidden behind them. We created the outside to be a regular shape of chess while the back of the piece had the 3d Dimensional shape. The sides are the opposite one side shows the beauty and the other shows the opposite of the beauty of the other side, for example, a nice queen crown is made on the beautiful side and a broken crown is on the opposite side. Both sides are made out of watercolor paper which is much thicker and stronger than the Bristol paper. The outside pieces on both sides are in white color but the back of the pieces has a color that helps with emphasizing the idea. The side that I did is the opposite of beauty and had darker colors with broken elements or decayed. In my pieces, I had flat unidimensional chess pieces but at the back of the piece is a hidden 3D piece that reflects each chess piece.  (King-Throne, Queen-Crown, Bishop-Sword, Knight-Horse Skelton, Rook-Rook, Pawns- Kingdom Flags).

 

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Production

I decided on using the Cricut to cut the main plain side of the chess pieces and some of the 3D back pieces that worked when I tested them:

 

 

 

The other pieces that I hand cut and measured:

 

The final composition:

 

The king Piece:

 

 

The Queen Piece:

 

The Bishop Pieces:

 

Knight Pieces:

The rook Pieces

The pawns pieces:

 

 

The final composition pieces with my partner:

Research

For this project, we had to readings that talked about gifts and gifting, and there was a quote that I liked in the gift introduction by Lewis Hyde:

I started researching quotes related to design or interior design:

After talking to my mentor I made a mind map:

I researched about cords organizers to get more informations about it:

exercise/Activities:

for the exercise we had to choose one tool and package it. The tool I chose was a scissor, I started by sketching some ideas:

The final look, was inspired by the third picture( with the danger word). We always hear people say be carful when you are cutting whether it was a scissor or any other sharp tool, so I decided to create strips that are all around the package in an X shape, and made the color bright so that it catches the eye, and I added a little ribbon above to make it look less serious:

 

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Iterations

I started researching and sketching after asking my mentor more questions:

The color Templates that she likes in addition to neutral colors and light/bright colors in general:

I started a prototype using Bristol paper:

 

 

 

After discussion and critique, I realized that the gift would be the cord organizer rather than it being the container. So I looked up more about puzzles because my mentor was very interested in and I tried to combine them:

 

 

After realizing the mistakes, I started to redesign my final in adobe:

 

While assembling the pieces and designing/decorating it:

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Concept statement

The quote I choose is “A room should never allow the eye to settle in one place. It should smile at you and create fantasy.” —JUAN MONTOYA. The purpose of the gift is to be a cord organizer and help with organizing and managing the cords in her personal space. My mentor struggled with her cords because of the many plugged-in electronics that she needed to charge and use, so from there I started making the gift be a cord organizer with a cover that has a designed line movement that reflects the minimalist style and also reflects the eye movement part mentioned in the quote, then it gets flipped to be a simple puzzle piece on top that she could play with while waiting for her device to be charged or even if she sat beside the cord organizer, where it will help with relaxing and clearing her mind. The container is a holder for the gift that has some abstract triangles to emphasize the gift in the middle and has on it other abstracted triangles that hold the puzzle pieces, and it’s designed to go with the overall design of the container and the gift. The container has the quote and my mentor’s name both in English and Arabic. The design on the container is reflecting the eye movement that was mentioned in the quote as well the puzzle on top of the cord organizer, and the triangles on the container/holder. The main material I used is chipboard because it’s much more stable and could be much stronger and more flexible too. I used color to bring more details and to make both the gift and the container go well with her space. Harmony and interaction are shown in the final outcome of the project by the container/holder being without color but with more shapes to harmonize with the gift that has more color.

 

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Production

Before finalizing the gift and getting critique, I understood more about changing some parts to make the container be what it’s supposed to do so I made the change where I flipped the top cover which was the puzzle and made a holder for the puzzle pieces, this is a picture of before the change:

 

 

After the change and the final composition:

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Research

For this project,    I started first with looking up mechanisms techniques and their different purposes, also I learned a lot from the trip to the Thompson library where I got to see and learn more about paper mechanisms:

 

Exercise/Activity:

We did an exercise in which we had to create any two mechanisms and bring them to class:

 

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Iterations

I started to sketch abstract shapes that reflected the song:

 

I had created some templates to use when creating the mechanisms:

 

 

I tested different mechanisms that I thought would go well with the song my partner and I had chosen which is “Swan Lake by Tchaikovsky”

Then I did some prototypes to see how the composition would come together:

 

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Concept Statement

Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake Op. 20/10 is a complex piece of music featuring smooth, weeping melodies and climactic symphonies performed by a dynamic chorus of instruments. To represent this song abstractly, my partner and I used paper mechanisms including pull tabs, push tabs, and pop-ups to create different types of movement that would visually correspond to the features and emotional effect of the song. In our compositions, we relied on the design principles of movement and emphasis, using different types of movement to match the distinct parts of the piece. Since the piece is so complex, we separated it into three separate sections—the calm intro, dynamic middle, and the quiet end that returns to the same melody as the intro. Though they are individual compositions, both my partner and my piece harmonize with each other through this shared structure, which is identifiable when they are presented side-by-side.

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Production

For my final composition, I decided with my partner on the size of the composition and we wanted to create contrast between our works so I did a white background and my partner did a black background. Then I decided on the mechanisms which are pull tabs and pop up to create the harmony that was presented in the song:

Research

In this project, I started with listening to a podcast about the start of the pandemic in China and it helped me with understanding the history of masks. Then I started to answer the what, who, when, where, and how for the concept that I and my partner decided on. Researching a lot of ways of creating a mask and what materials could be used and how to make them present the idea that I want to design:

Exercise/activity:

In class, we created a mask that we did with our partner to show parts of the sketches that we like to approach. First, we started with creating a shape that relates to our idea from the sketches and then we would trade with our partners and design on the design they did, finally, we take back our designs and convert them to a mask that we could wear:

 

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Iterations

I started by drawing different sketches of ideas that was related to the narrative me and my partner chose:

 

Then I created some prototypes to see how I want to create my idea and how I would put the parts together:

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Concept Statement

The pandemic impacted everyone in a variety of ways, and easily the most prominent symbol that represents our time within it are the masks. But masking during the pandemic wasn’t entirely physical for everyone, a lot of people metaphorically mask themselves as well, usually starting far before the pandemic started which made it harder to reveal their true self afterward. Someone could choose to mask their identity for any number of reasons; personality, gender, neuro divergency, and religion to name a few. 

 But during the lockdown, stuck in our homes, was the first time many people were able to experience a world absent of social pressure. Most people who mask themselves do it 24/7, or so often that they eventually don’t even realize that they’re doing it. But spending weeks or months alone, those masks were finally able to come off and we were able to truly experience ourselves for the first time. For some people, it was easier and faster to have their real identity revealed, but for others, it was hard and slow as if their false identity was starting to rip off and they could see parts of their real face under it. Also, for others, it was a slower process but they had a lot of learning experience, that their false self started to gradually melt away the pressure that has followed them for so long. Whether it was slow or fast, hard or easy, they all had the freedom at the end to be themselves after a long time of masking.

 

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Production

I started with sketching my final idea and stating the materials I will use to help me show idea of tearing apart:

First, I created the base with paper:

After that, I added foil to create the outside and then added the parts that show the tearing away and stuck them. Finally I added the final touch by adding the strings that are colored in black paint which I also used to color a little bit of the inside of the foil parts that are coming out to give it emphasis to pop up:

Research

in this project, I presented deep layers by the concept of a bottom view in the water well. Facing the darkness, moving, and trying to survive as the water splashes and moves with you. That is how I felt and imagined if I was inside a water well. I did some research and found some ideas that I liked about the presentation of the final look:

Exercise/ Activities:

The exercise we did was about —– and creating something within the negative space of our initials. I started with sketching ideas and getting feedback on them and developing my favorite and strongest concept between them:

First I started with sketching a variety of ideas:

Then I refined it to get my first draft of the exercise, which I also tried cutting with the laser cutter to test how it will turn out:

After getting some feedback I recorrected some parts and finalized it:

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Iterations

I started with creating a mindmap and with having on my mind the principles of design I started ideating and drawing different ideas of water well :

Then I took the drawings from sketchbook and created it on Adobe illustrator:

Then after getting some feedback, I started exploring more with the position of the opening of the water well to make it help with showing and emphasizing the depth of the well:

Also, I did practice by hand cutting to see how it would look like and to try out different spacing methods:

 

 

 

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Concept Statement

In this project deep space is presented in the composition by the inner/bottom view of the water well. The layering of the different grayscale card stock and the spaces between each layer is giving more deepness, as the front layers are closer to each other and how the water splashes and the movement of it are closer to you to giving the feeling of the struggle inside the well and how you are trying your best to survive. Then as the layers go to the background it shows the different wall structure and texture that is made by the bricks on each wall with the shadows after each layer to show the darkness inside the well and the distance far from the outside. Rhythm and emphasis are shown in the bricks structure and the shadows too as the shadows help to define each layer of wall and show its depth. Seeing the bucket that is at the very end of the well and how it’s smaller than the other elements in the composition helps to show how the distance is very far from the inside of the well to the outside, also by having the back opened with not having something that covers and you could see the outside of it helps more with the light coming in and to have a more realistic view. Finally, as the whole composition comes together it shows unity as the layers work together to show the depth and how each element has its own way to work with each other to form the view of the bottom of a water well as it goes to the outside view.

 

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Production

As I started to finalize my drawing and tested how the colors will be applied in it, I used both Adobe illustrator and sketchbook to help me finalize the drawing of the layers and see how they would look like in color:

Then, I started organizing my layers and deciding on the spacing between the layers and whether I want to cover the outside of the layers so that the spacing between them could not be seen:

 

As a final exercise, we had to choose three colors and match them with the values of the grayscale colors that we used in our design and color the design:

Research:

In this project, we had to create a sketchbook that we could use during this semester and even after it. I did some research to get some inspiration, especially for the hidden element. Here are the pictures of the ideas that I founded:

 

Exercise/Activities:

For the exercise we tried different binding methods and pages organization:

 

We also did a mindmap for a prompt that we chose from a given list:

 

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Iterations:

First I started with writing down ideas and things I want and don’t in my sketchbook:

 

Also, I wrote down the materials and the things that I would like to have for a hidden element:

 

Stating to understand how I would like to have in my sketchbook, I started drawing my first idea in Adobe Illustrator:

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Production:

After cutting both covers, pages, and hidden elements in the laser cutter, I assembled everything together:

 

 

In this project, I gained more new experiences like learning how to use the laser cutter and learned more about having a purpose behind the design that I make.

Research:

For this project, I had done a lot of research on isometric view letters and words because I had found some difficulties in understanding that view when drawing it. These are some pictures of the isometric view letters & words both in English and Arabic:

Exercise/Activities:

The first activity was to learn drawing in isometric by hand:

 

 

Then we did it digitally:

Then we did an exercise in which we had to use all the things we learned about the isometric view in hand drawing or digital and create a word that is isometric.

Then we had another exercise where we had to create three different mashup words and start on designing some ideas for them. The three words that I chose were:

• Creawall: Create+Wall.
• Raint: Rain+Paint.
• Kitly: Kite+Fly.

 

These are the designs I did for “Creawall”:-

Designs for “Raint”:-

Designs for “Kitly”:-

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Ideations:

The word that I settled on is “Raint”, I had a lot of ideas and I liked how simple it is so after all the brainstorming in the exercise I started to try different things and I changed the word to be in isometric view so that I can see it more clearly and understand how I can design it.

First I made the words into 2 different isometric views, one in the left isometric and the other one was from the top view. I used the 3D option in adobe illustrator to do it:

 

 

Then I wanted to add a cloud so I started drawing different clouds to use in my design (I used both illustrator and sketchbook to do these tries):

Then I did my first tries of designing my drafts with the words I had made in isometric view:

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Production:

Finally, I decided with going with cloud draft and correct some of the things that I had feedback on like the cloud:

Then I started adding the raindrops and the water droppings from the letters using the pen tool in illustrator and I added the definition for my word and organized my artboard size so that it comes to the final look, and this is how it turned into:

I have enjoyed this project a lot and developed a lot of skills in using technology to help me create the final look of my mashup word and I understood the isometric view much better after this project.

Research:

Mandala with Grey Values

For this project, I had researched different types of mandalas and looked at them to get inspiration for my mandala. These are some of them:

 

Exercise/Activities:

We started with a practice of how to use the pen tool:

Exercise 1:

 

The abstractions were natural and human-made. I chose 10 different things and drew them in 4 different types the first was drawing the scale of the shape and the second was the direction, then the different parts of the shape, and lastly was the different color values.

Then we chose 2 abstractions one from the natural and the other one is human-made and made a pattern with them.

Here is another pattern that I did for practicing more:

Research:

Mandala With Colors

When we started the colored mandala assignment I searched for some color values and brainstormed what colors I would like to go with. What I knew that I wanted to have a color palette for sure are colors that have something with the dessert or colors that could show as Arabic.

 

Then I chose a color palette from adobe color that was analogous and these are the color palettes that I chose:

The first palette is what I mostly liked but the other two are palettes that I wanted to try. I liked the blues and the brown because they can show a natural view of the mandala.

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Iterations:

Mandala with Grey Values

I chose Harmony as my principle. The first thing I did was to create grids and I started making different types of grids until I settled on the last one to the left with the two circles that are joined. Then I had made two tries the first one was to see what kind of things I could do with the abstractions and the grid for that one was the normal circles’ grid. The second try was when I tried to insert the Arabic letters as an abstraction, the letters that I chose are letters from my name (رن ي م). and that is when I ended with the first draft.

Then after I got feedback on the Mandala and how it felt empty in some spots I started fixing it:

 

Iterations:

Mandala With Colors

For the colored mandala, I did 2 different palettes drafts:

 

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Production:

After getting feedback and understanding the things that I have to look closely at and try to experiment with I started with fishing my gray value mandala. First I did three different drafts and then I chose one of them:

Then I finally chose this:

Then I started with my colored Mandala after fixing the grey value one. First I started with creating the color value:

 

Research:

For this project, I looked up a lot of different types of maps and their function and how they are similar and different than each other.

Exercise/Activities:

• The first exercise was to choose a place to map. So, I chose the Wexner Center for the Arts. I chose it because I have always wanted to go to an art center or museum in the US, and when I knew there is one that is really close I got excited to visit it. for the exercise, we had to write directions from Hayes Hall to our destination and to write a poetic direction to the destination too expressing the feelings and what I saw during my journey to the Wexner Center for the Arts.

 

• An activity that we did was exploring different types of maps and writing about what differences we noticed in them.

 

 

• Another activity was to take five pictures of different things in the oval and then we shared the pictures on Miro

 

• Also an exercise we did with shading and creating patterns:

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Iterations:

When I finished with the first exercise of writing the directions I started just sketching and using colors to express the things that I wrote with drawing. Like how I said that the circle in the middle was like a gathering point and reminded me of the sun that I used to draw in my childhood with all the lines coming out of it and then the two big trees at the end of the left path, they are located before crossing the street.

 

• Then I transferred my sketching to be with just pencil drawing and one color to be used:

 

• I started practicing more with drawing and creating a path for my map:

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Production:

I created a collage that used a lot of colors but helped me with understanding the things that I wanted to do on my map, like the 3D craft:

 

Then I used transparent paper to draw it in pencil and reorganize things more before drawing the final, in the collage I did an open little paper with names of start and end points, but then I decided to change it to be pulling instead of opening and I really enjoyed exploring with crafting and searching ideas:

 

After exploring I added different things on my final like 3D shapes that pop out when opening the start and ending destination (Hayes Hall & Wexner Center for the Arts) which are the parts of the buildings that caught my eyes. The color that I chose is green since it is the most color on the map and I felt that it gave the map more life. For the path I chose it to be like this because the Wexner Center for the Arts has contemporary art so I decided to draw it like that and it went well with the map since it has a playful theme.

 

 

Research:

At the beginning of this project I was very excited to explore how are we going to convert the shapes from second assignment to be 3D shapes and how by choosing one option of the 4 options we have we will create a new shape.

 

Exercise/Activities:

• The first activity we did was making a perfect cube shape, that seemed easy but after the third time making it I realized how it was not as easy I thought, but it made me more concentrated on learning what are the problems and know how to correct them before making a new template and cutting it.

• Another exercise was making an F letter 3D shape that was fun and I learned through making it a lot of different skills that I applied when I made my final shape, and I got to give it as a gift to my mother since the first letter in her name is F 🙂

 

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Iterations:

I chose my shape from the dynamic shape grammar exercise from assignment 2.

Then I started cutting different papers and sticking them in the back of the dynamic shape that I drew and cut out. And I ended up with settling on this shape:

 

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Production:

Then after making the shape I started creating the final template and understanding the different parts in it:

This is a PDF with all the template tries and the shapes it created Final Template Tries

Then I finally got my final shape done:

 

The option that I chose was Illusion and here is the final shape:

The final template:

In this project I got to challenge myself and learn and explore with different crafting and to be creative with creating the first shape. I also got excited to explore more with different 3D shapes and crafting.